IDIC
by PalisDelon
Summary: Very often time can hid history.


_Time can hide history._

* * *

It was done, he was a lieutenant in Starfleet.

"Spock!"

He turned towards the voice and watched his mother approach.

"Look at you." She leaned in and hugged him to her, "I am so proud of you."

He felt a warming in his chest, "Thank you, Mother."

They began to walk across the main lawn of the Academy, leaving behind the crowd. After several moments of comfortable silence his mother moved away from his side and sat down on a bench.

"I have something for you." She held out a small box.

He opened the box and was struck by what he saw – a gold circle with a wedge of silver pointing to a blood red gem. "Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations." he said in an awed tone.

"I didn't know it's full meaning until after I married your father."

He looked up at her, "Father gave this to you?"

"No." She smiled softly. "It has much more interesting history. I was 20..."

* * *

"Momma! I'm home!" Amanda Grayson called out softly as she dropped her duffel bag by the door.

"We're in here." Came the answer and Amanda quickly made her way to her grandmothers room.

"How is she?" Amanda asked.

"The doctor says it won't be much longer." her mother said. "I think she's been waiting to see you."

Amanda sat down on the edge of the bed and took hold of her grandmothers hand. "Grandma, it's Amanda. I'm home."

The old womans eyes fluttered. "Amanda?"

Amanda felt a tear run down her cheek. "Yes, grandma. I'm here."

"My dearheart." The old woman smiled softly. "There's something I want you to have. On the desk"

Amanda picked up an envelope with her name on it and unfolded the flap. A chain with a gold and silver pendant spilled out into her hand.

"It's beautiful! Where did you get this?" She asked.

"Paris. 2161."

Amanda's eyes widened as she looked at the pendant again. "You got this at the Federation signing?"

* * *

Dear Sarah,

Well, I keep hearing about the wonderful things that you've been doing. Yes, you're Momma and Aunt's praise have reached all the way out to sub-space. While I know that as a Tucker you've got the gumption to do anything you set your mind to, the idea of the little tot that I pulled out of the back pond being all grown up is kinda hard to wrap my mind around.

Etiquette hostess for the planetary federation conference... are you sure you're old enough?

All joshin' aside, I'm sure that you'll be amazing. You've always had a touch for knowing how to make people feel welcome no matter what the situation.

I'm sending you this pendant to remind you of what you're working towards. It's called an "IDIC" - Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations - it's suppose to represent all the different variables in the universe.

It was your cousin Elizabeth's.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm so proud of what your doing, and if Elizabeth was here I'd want her to be watchin' you to see the sort of woman to become.

Now that the mushy stuff it outta the way; I know that you'll be busy during the conference but you will find some time to have lunch or something with me.

Love ya, moopy.

Trip

* * *

T'Pol clung to the IDIC that had hung over Elizabeth's bed. She had known the baby for only three days, hadn't even gone through the possess of carrying and delivering her, but still her death left an ache.

The door chimed and T'Pol looked at it for a second before saying come in.

Trip stood in the doorway. She could see the grief on his face and it seemed to lessen her own.

"The delegates at the conference," Trip said haltingly, "They've asked about the service for, for Elizabeth. They want to attend."

"She was important." T'Pol said softly.

Trip sat down next to her. "There's something else. I spoke with Phlox. It turns out there was a flaw in the technique that Paxton's doctors used in the cloning process." T'Pol could see tears form in his eyes.

"Human DNA and Vulcan DNA, Phlox says there's no medical reason why they can't combine. So if a Vulcan and a human ever decided to have a child, it'd probably be okay." The tears begin to run down his cheeks. "And that's sort of comforting."

She reached out for Trip's good hand, the IDIC pressed between their palms. It was comforting, the thought of a child of Vulcan and Earth.

"Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations." T'Pol whispered.


End file.
